Couch-bed.



C. L. PLUNKETT.

GOUOH BED.

PPLIUATION Hum JAN. 2a, 1909,

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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UOUGH BED.

APPLXUATION FILED JAN. 2a, 1909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

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'UNTTED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

CHARLES L. PLUNKETT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN COUCH COM-PANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

COUCH-BED.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. PLUNK- ETT, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in New York, borough of Manhattan, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Couch-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to couch beds, and more particularly to thatclass of couch beds in which one member or section making up the bedmoves or slides with relation to the other to form either a double or asingle bed or couch, the object of the present invention being toprovide a couch bed of this class with a storage receptacle and withimproved means for getting thereinto.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an extremelysimple and inexpensive means which will shift or slide one section of apair of nesting couch bed sections so as to form either a single or adouble bed, the shifting of which section will carry a storagereceptacle into position to be accessible or to be closed, and whichshifting means will also swing open or close the folding mattress.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improved couchbed having a storage receptacle which will be automatically closed onthe movement of the shiftable section into one position and carried intoposition and unclosed for accessibility on the movement of the shiftablesection into another position.

In the drawings accompanying and torming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a perspective view of ,this improved couch bed, with thefolding mattress partly ope-n, the sto-rage receptacle moved out withthe shiftable section from under the main or stationary section, and themetallic fabric of the shiitable section partly raised; Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional view taken in line 2-2, Fig. 5, looking towardthe arrow in said Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is an end view of the couch shown inFig. l, with the parts in substantially the same position as they areshown in Fig. l; Fig. 4 lis an end view of the couch when the members orsections are shifted into position to form a double bed; and Fig. 5 isan end view of the structure when the sections are closed to'form acouch.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led January 23, 1909.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

serial No. 473,812.

In those forms of couch beds in which one section shifts, moves orslides with relation to the other section to form either a double or asingle bed or couch, it is desirable to provide some means for thestorage of the bed clothing during the day, or when the structure is inthe form of a couch, and also to have such bed clothing readilyaccessible so that whenthe structure is in the form of a double bed suchclothing may be thrown upon the mattress, thus obviating the necessityof carrying the clothing to and storing the same in a cupboard duringthe day and again carrying it to the bed at night. To obtain thegreatest advantage from such a storage receptacle, however, the lattermust be in such position that access thereto can be readily had at atime when the bed clothing can be readily removed from the bed or placedthereon without the necessity of handling it twice.

In the present embodiment of this improved couch bed the same is made upof two members or sections, one of which, for the present purpose, maybe considered as the main or stationary section and the other theshiftable, movable or extensible section, although, obviously, eithersection may be shifted relatively to the other.

The section 2 of the bed, which for the present purpose is designatedthe main or stationary section, preferably comprises a pair of endframes 3 and 4, each comprising a horizontal mattress supporting bar 5provided with a pair of legs or supports 6, usually provided withcasters 7. These end frames are connected by a pair of side bars 8 and9, while the end frames at the outer side of the structure are alsousually connected by a stiiiening strip 10. Stretched between these endframes is a yielding mattress supporting means, which may be made up invarious ways, but usually is in the form of a metallic fabric 11attached to the horizontal supporting bars 5 in any suitable manner.This section, like the section about to be described, may be made up oftubing or of angle iron. In the present embodiment it is shown made upof angle iron, and the side bars 8 and 9 are preferably so located thatthey will support a box cover 12, which may be secured thereto in anysuitable way. ln the present instance this cover is slightly shorterthan the distance between the end frames, thereby to leave a space forthe innerI legs of the shiftable section to move.

The shiftable section 13 is made up in a substantially similar manner tothat of the main or stationary section, it comprising a pair of endframes 14 and 15, each comprising a horizontal cross bar 16 and a pairof legs or supports 17 and 1S carrying casters' 19. These end frames areconnected by similar bars shown as side bars and stiffening strips tothose described in connection with the main section, but in the presentinstance the side bars 2G and 21 are located in a plane below the sidebars of the main section and near the lower ends of the legs 17 and 18and in such position that the horizontal webs of the side bars will formsupporting means for the storage receptacle, the stiffening bars beinglocated in this instance above the side bars. Both sections may havesuitable diagonal braces 22. As an additional means of supporting thestorage receptacle, when this is necessary, the two side bars of theshiftable section are connected by transversely extending braces or bars23.

The storage receptacle 25 is made of a size to fit within the end framesof the shiftable section and rest upon the horizontal webs of the sidebars thereof, being additionally supported by the transversely extendingbars or braces hereinbefo-re referred to. In the present embodiment thisreceptacle, which is of just sufficient height to move under the covertherefor permanently carried by the main section, has its ends partlycovered over, as at 30, this being desirable by reason of the fact thatthe cover is slightly shorter than the main section, as hereinbeforeexplained. VIhen, however, the storage receptacle is carried, togetherwith the shiftable section, under the main section the ends of the'coveroverlap the closed portions at the ends of the storage receptacle andthus completely close the storage receptacle.

For the purpose of permitting access to the storage receptacle theshiftable section is shown provided with a two-part metallic fabric 32,which, unlike the main section, is not connected directly to thehorizontal cross bars of the end frames, but to intermediate bars 33,shown in the form of angle iron bars which form a fabric framecomprising a metallic fabric and end bars. One part, as for instance theinner half, of this frame is rigidly secured, as by means of rivets, tothe cross bars of the end frames of the shiftable section, while theother part, as for instance the outer half, thereof is connected to suchend frames for swinging movement, this being obtained by forming thefabric supporting end bars in two parts and pivoting the outer partsadjacent to their inner ends to the end frames. The fabric, however, ismade as one structure, as heretofore, and the tension of the same actsto hold the swinging half of the fabric permanently in position on theend frames when in its mattress supporting position. ly swinging up theouter half of this metallic fabric access to the storage receptacle isobtained and this independent of any movement of the whole sliding orshifting section.

The storage receptacle may be permanently fastened to the shift-ablesection if preferred, or this may be omitted so that it can be readilyremoved and cleaned.

In the present embodiment it will be observed that the shiftablesection, made up of connected end frames, .supports a metallic fabricframe one part of which is shiftable relatively to the other, and alsocarries below the same a storage r-ec-eptacle which is automaticallyclosed on moving the shiftable section under the main section to form acouch and is carried into position to permit access thereto on themovementl of the shiftable section from under the main scction to form adouble bed. In the form of bed shown, in order to permit the twometallic fabrics to be nearly level, the metallic fabric of theshiftable section slides, nests or telescopes between a. side bar andthe metallic fabric of the main section, while the storage receptaclemoves below the side bars of the main section.

Any suitable form of stuffed mattress may be used for the nesting couchbed so far described, usually of book form, whereby one half thereof maybe thrown on to the shiftable section to form a double bed when the sameis extended or on the other half thereof to form a couch when theshiftable section is pushed in, and by grasping the shiftable sectionthe same may be drawn out, together with the storage receptacle carriedthereby. into position to receive one half of the stuffed mattress.Before this is thrown over, however, on the swinging section theswinging portion of the metallic fabric may be swung up and access thusobtained to the storage receptacle. Such a form of bed thus forms a veryconvenient and eflicient structure. In the present embodiment, however,means are provided for extending the shiftable section, thereby to carrythe storage receptacle into position either to be automatically closedor unclosed to permit access thereto and also simultaneously to fold andunfold the book mattress. This means in the prese-nt improvementcomprises a swinging frame or bar 40 having its end bars pivotallyconnected at their inner ends to the end frames of the 4main section andlinked by links 41 to brackets 42 of the shiftable section, preferablyadjacent to the inner side thereof. Secured to this swinging frame atits outer edge is the top portion or half of the book mattress. Bygrasping this swinging frame and moving it upwardly from the positionshown in Fig. 5, to the position shown in Fig. 8 the shiftable sectionof the couch bed is extended, together with the storage receptacle,carrying the latter from under its closure or cover and into position topermit access thereto. On the raising of the swinging half of themetallic fabric of the shiftable section access to the storagereceptacle is readily obtained, whereupon the bed clothing can beremoved and thrown upon the uncovered half of the stuffed mattress, thusobviating the necessity of placing it upon a chair or other support. Theswinging portion of the metallic fabric of the shiftable section is thenmoved downward on to the end frame of the shiftable section and theswinging frame thrown forward into the position shown in Fig. 4,whereupon the structure is in readiness for use as' a double bed.

It will be observed that the sto-rage receptacle in the presentembodiment, being as long and as wide as the shiftable section of thebed, and of considerable height, may be used not only as a storage placefor bed clothing, but for articles of wearing apparel, and when made ofcedar will form a very efficient receptacle for the storage of furs inthe summer time, especially as in the form shown it can be madepractically airtight', thus always having at `hand a highly etlicientmeans for the preservation of such garments as well as a comfortable bedfor the use of visitors and a neat and comfortable couch at all times.By providing the shiftable section with a fabric frame the use of dropformed bracing bars for the metallic fabric is done away with.

It is to be understood that the various details of construction of theimproved couch bed herein shown and described may be more or lessmodified without departing from the scope of the invention, as forinstance connected cross bars could be used for supporting the storagereceptacle instead of side bars, if preferred, and the structure couldbe made as a six-legged couch bed instead of having eight legs as shownherein, by suitably supporting the inner ends of the storage receptacleby supports carried by the end frames of the shiftable or slidingsection. In this form, however, the inner ends of the end fra-mes of thesliding section would be carried by suitable guide rails in the wellknown manner. It is also to be understood that a greater or less widthof metallic fabric could be hinged to the end frames as occasion mightrequire, to afford a greater or less opening to the storage receptacle.In fact, in some constructions the metallic fabric of the sectioncarrying the storage receptacle could be so secured to the end framesthat practically all of such fabric could be swung up.

By having the end bars 33 of the metallic fabric frame, and especiallythe swinging part thereof, so located as to overlap the outer sides ofthe end frame cross bars 16, the fabric when under weight cannot drawsuch bars 33 toward each other and collapse the structure. In practicehowever the outer end also the inner ends if deemed desirable, of theswinging end bars will usually be connected by some suitable form ofside bars 50 to prevent the drawing of such end bars toward each other.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a couch-bed, the combination of a bed sect-ion comprising a pairof connected end frames, and yielding mattress supporting means fixedlysecured thereto one part thereof shiftable relatively to another partand above the top of the end frames and independently of any movement ofsaid end frames.

2. In a couch-bed, the combination of a bed section comprising a pair ofconnected end frames, a sto-rage receptacle carried by said sect-ion,and yielding mattress supporting means ixedly secured to said end framesand constructed to swingl above the top of such end frames and thestorage receptacle and independently of any movement of said end framesto permitaccess to the storage receptacle.

3. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, each having yielding mattress supporting means, theyielding mattress supporting means of one section having a part thereoffiXedly secured to said section and a part thereof shiftable relativelythereto and independently of any movement of the section carrying saidshiftable yielding mattress supporting means.

4. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable sect-ion, each having yielding mattress supporting means, theyielding mattress supporting means of one section having a part thereofiiXedly secured to said section and a part thereof swinging relativelythereto and independently of any movement of such section, and a storagereceptacle carried by the section having the swinging part of theyielding mattress support-ing means and readily accessible when thestructure forms a double bed.

5. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, each having yielding mattress supporting means, theyielding mattress supporting means of t-he shiftable section having apart thereof xedly secured to said section and a part thereof shiftablerelatively thereto and independently of any movement of said shiftablesection, and a storage receptacle carried by said shiftable section, andreadily accessible when the structure forms a double bed.

6. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, each having yielding mattress supporting means, and astorage receptacle carried by one of said sections, the yieldingmattress supporting means of the section carrying the storagerecept-acle being shiftable independently of any movement of suchsection, to permit ready access to said storage receptacle when thestructure forms a double bed.

7. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and a slidingsection, each made np of end frames, side bars and a metallic fabricstretched bet-Ween said end frames, the metallic fabric of one sectionsliding between a side bar and the metallic fabric of the other sectionand the metallic fabric of one section having a part thereof swingingrelatively to another part thereof and independently of any movement ofsuch section, and a storage receptacle carried by the section having theswinging portion of the metallic fabric and readily accessible when thestructure forms a double bed.

S. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and a slidingsection, each made up of end frames, side bars and a metallic fabricstretched between said end frames, the metallic fabric o-f one sectionsliding between' a side bar and the metallic fabric of the other sectionand the metallic fabric of the sliding section having a part thereofswinging relatively to another' part thereof independently of anymovement of the sliding section, and a storage receptacle carried by thesliding section readily accessible when the structure forms a doublebed.

9. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, each having yielding mattress supporting means, astorage receptacle carried by the shiftable section, and a. closuretherefor carried by the stationary section.

10. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, each having yielding mattress supporting means, astorage receptacle carried by the shiftable section and readilyaccessible when the structure forms a double bed, and a closure thereforcarried by the stationary section, the yielding mattress supportingmeans of the sliiftable section having a part tixedly secured to saidsection and' a part thereof swinging relatively thereto andindependently of any movement of said shiftable sect-ien.

11. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, each comprising end frames and side bar connections,a metallic fabric stretched between said end frames, the metallic fabricof the shiftable section sliding between a side bar and the metallicfabric of the stationary section and also having a part thereof swingingrelatively to another part thereof independent-ly of any movement of theshiftable section, a storage receptacle carried by said shiftablesect-ion readily accessible when the structure forms a double bed, and aclosure therefor carried by said stationary section. Y

l2. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, a storage receptacle carried by said shiftablesection, a metallic fabric carried by each section, that of theshiftable section shift-v able independently of any movement of saidshiftable section to permit access to the storage receptacle when thestructure forms a double bed, and means for shift-ing the shiftablesection and thereby the storage receptacle.

13. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and ashiftable section, a storage receptacle carried by said shiftablesection, a metallic fabric carried by each section, that of theshiftable section shiftable independently of any movement of saidshiftable section, to permit access to the storage receptacle when thestructure forms a double bed, means for shifting the shiftable sectionand thereby the storage receptacle, and a folding mattress secured tosaid sections and opened or closed on the shifting of said shiftablesection.

14. In a conch bed, the combination of a stationary section and asliding section, each made up of end frames and bar connections, ametallic fabric stretched between the end frames of each section, thatof the sliding section sliding between the bar connections and themetallic fabric of the stationary section and having a swingingmovementV independently of any movement of said sliding section, astorage receptacle carried by said sliding section, and readilyaccessible when the structure forms a double bed, and means for shiftingsaid section relatively to the stationary section and thereby thestorage receptacle.

15. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and asliding section, each made up of end frames and bar connections, ametallic fabric stretched between the end frames of each section, thatof the sliding section sliding between the bar connections and themetallic fabric of the stationary section and having a swinging movementindependently of any movement of said sliding section, a storagereceptacle carried by said sliding section and readily accessible whenthe structure forms a double bed, means for shifting said slidingsection relatively to the stationary section, and a mattress connectedto said shifting means and shifted on the operation of the slidingsection.

16. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and asliding section, each comprising a pair of end frames having side barconnections, a metallic fabric stretched between the end frames of eachsection', the metallic fabric of the sliding section running between theside bar connections and the metallic fabric of the stationary sectionand the metallic fabric of the sliding sec* tion having a part thereofhinged for swinging movement relatively to another4 part thereof andindependently of any movement of said sliding section, a storagereceptacle supported by said sliding section and having partly closedends and readily accessible when the structure forms a double bed, and acover for said storage receptacle secured to the stationary section andoverlapping the closed ends of the storage receptacle.

17. In a couch bed, the combination of a stationary section and asliding section, each comprising a pair of end frames having side barconnections, a metallic fabric stretched between the end frames ofeachsection, the metallic fabric of the sliding section running between theside bar connections and the metallic fabric of the stationary sectionand the metallic fabric of the sliding section having a part thereofhinged for swinging movement relatively to another part thereof andindependently of any movement of said sliding section, a storagereceptacle supported by said sliding section and having partly closedends and readily accessible when the structure forms a double bed, acover for said storage receptacle secured to the stationary section andoverlapping the closed ends of the storage receptacle, means forshifting the sliding section to form either a double bed or a couch, anda folding mattress secured to said shifting means and opened or closedon the shifting of said sliding section.

18. In a couch bed, the combination of a pair of bed sections, one astationary section and the other a shiftable section and each made up ofend frames and bar connections, a metallic fabric stretched between Vtheend frames of the stationary section, and a metallic fabric framesecured to the end frames of the shiftable section with a part thereofsupported for swinging movement relatively to and independently of anymovement of said shiftable section.

19. In a couch bed, the combination of a pair of bed sections, one astationary section and the other a shiftable section and each made up ofend frames and bar connections, a metallic fabric stretched between theend frames of the stationary section, a metallic fabric frame secured tothe end frames of the shiftable section with a part thereof supportedfor swinging movement relatively to and independently of any movement ofsaid shiftable section, and a storage receptacle carried by saidshiftable section.

20. In a couch bed, the combination of a pair of bed sections, one astationary section and theother a shiftable section and each made up ofend frames and bar connections, a metallic fabric stretched between theend frames of the stationary section, a metallic fabric frame secured tothe end frames of the shiftable section with a part thereof supportedfor swinging movement relatively to and independently of any movement ofsaid shiftable section, a storage receptacle carried by said shiftablesection and readily accessible when the structure forms a double bed,means for shifting said shiftable section relatively to the stationarysection to form either a double bed or a couch, and a folding mattresshaving a part thereof secured t0 said shifting means and opened orclosed on the shifting of the shiftable section.

21. In a couch bed, the combination of a pair of bed sections, one astationary section and the other a shiftable section and each made up ofend frames and side bar connections, a metallic fabric stretched betweenthe end frames of the stationary section, ametallic fabric frame securedto the end frames of the shiftable section with a part thereof supportedfor swinging movement relatively to and independently of any movement ofsaid shiftable section, a storage receptacle carried by said shiftablesection, means for shifting said shiftable section relatively to thestationary section to form either a double bed or a couch, a foldingmattress having a part thereof secured to said shifting means and openedor closed on the shifting of the shiftable section, the metallic fabricof the shiftable section running between the side bar connections andthe metallic fabric of the stationary section, and a cover for saidstorage receptacle carried by the stationary section.

22. In a couch bed, the combination of a pair of bed sections, to theother and each having a yielding mattress supporting means connectedtherewith, one of said sections having a part of its yielding mattresssupporting means shiftable relatively to another part thereof, a foldingmattress for said bed, and means .connected to said sections and to saidmattress for opening and closing the folding mattress and simultaneouslyshifting one of said sections.

Signed at 9-15 Murray St., New York, N. Y., this 22d day of January,1909.

CHARLES L. PLUNKETT.

Witnesses:

C. A. WEED, T. E. Boron.

one shiftable relatively

